The Konoha Sannin

Time flew by, and Beichen Haotian quietly trained near the camp. He did not know how long had passed.

One evening, Beichen Haotian returned to camp after training and found everyone wearing delighted expressions. After asking around, he learned that Konoha's two great armies had beaten the enemy back again and again. Victory was in sight.

"Oh, so the war has reached this stage already? Then Tsunade and the others' battle against Hanzo of the Salamander should be coming soon. There weren't many large-scale battles in the Land of Rain. Should I go take a look? I've never witnessed a clash between the top powerhouses of this world." Beichen Haotian stroked his chin, considering whether to leave.

After thinking for a while, Beichen Haotian had been cooped up in camp for too long and could not resist the temptation. He decided to sneak out.

"To hell with it. I'll sneak out, and at worst I'll be punished when I get back."

After leaving a letter in his tent, Beichen Haotian found an excuse to leave the camp and slipped away.

However, finding Tsunade and the other two across the vast battlefield of the Land of Rain was no easy task. Still, it did not matter. Beichen Haotian had brought enough provisions. He would search as best he could; finding them would be ideal, but if he failed, he could seek out Rain Ninja, Sand Ninja, or Stone Ninja to fight. He could not possibly sit out the Second Shinobi World War.

Wearing a cloak and raincoat, Beichen Haotian headed first toward one of the smaller battlefields.

From memories of his previous life, he knew Hanzo of the Salamander had once said, "I achieved a local victory, but lost to Konoha overall." Therefore, Tsunade and the other two were very likely to fight Hanzo of the Salamander on a smaller battlefield.

As he ventured deeper into the Land of Rain, the sounds of explosions reached his ears. Beichen Haotian did not dare lower his guard. He activated Observation Haki and headed toward the area where the explosions were most concentrated.

But when he arrived, he was somewhat disappointed. Although Konoha and the Rain Ninja were fighting, Tsunade and the other two were not among them.

He searched like that for an entire day before finally finding the trio's whereabouts at noon the next day. At that moment, the Konoha ninja led by Tsunade and the others had already engaged the Rain Ninja and were at a disadvantage. Hanzo of the Salamander was also facing off against the three of them. The rain grew heavier and heavier, and battle could erupt at any moment.

Silently counting himself lucky, Beichen Haotian used the Invisibility Technique nearly a thousand meters away, concealed his aura, and quietly watched the battle. Although he did not have the Sharingan or Byakugan, his eyesight was quite good, especially when enhanced by Chakra. The rain was heavy, but there was no fog, so he could still see clearly. Only finer details were blurred.

A thousand meters away, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru wore gray combat armor as they watched the man standing atop Ibuse with grave expressions. He wore a gas mask.

"I didn't expect to encounter Hiruzen Sarutobi's disciples today. How fortunate. If you die, then Amegakure will not have lost too badly." A deep, heavy voice came from beneath the gas mask, cold and merciless.

"Hmph. You want to kill the three of us? Even if you call yourself a demigod, you can't do it. Today, we'll see whether you truly live up to your name," Tsunade said coldly.

"Hahaha, it has been a long time since anyone dared speak to me like that. Fine, words are useless. All of you will stay here today."

Poison Mist.

Ibuse beneath Hanzō opened its terrifying maw, and dense purple fog carrying dreadful poison surged toward the three of them.

The trio leaped backward, avoiding the Poison Mist. With a flick of her hand, Tsunade sent two pills flying toward Jiraiya and Orochimaru.

"Take them. These are Antidote Pills I developed specifically against Ibuse. They can't block everything, but they'll greatly reduce the damage from the poison."

Before Tsunade had even finished speaking, Orochimaru and Jiraiya had swallowed the pills. It showed their coordination and their trust in Tsunade.

Wind Style, Great Breakthrough.

A terrifying gale burst from Jiraiya's mouth, more than one or two times stronger than the technique Beichen Haotian had once seen a Rain Ninja use. The purple Poison Mist covering nearly a hundred meters was swept away entirely.

The instant the Poison Mist dispersed, Orochimaru and Tsunade were already charging toward Hanzō.

Ninjutsu, Shadow Snake Hand.

Several venomous, brightly colored snakes shot from Orochimaru's sleeves and lunged for Hanzō's neck.

Hanzō's expression did not change in the slightest. The scythe in his hand danced, and with a flash of the blade, several giant snakes were cut into two. Ibuse opened its mouth and swallowed them whole.

Tsunade leaped high into the air and charged at Hanzō from the other side, terrifying power contained within her fair, slender arm. Just as she was about to strike, a huge tail lashed toward her. Tsunade had no choice but to redirect her fist.

Boom! The mismatched collision created a shockwave that blasted away the rain overhead. Tsunade landed lightly on the ground, while Ibuse took a step back.

"Such tremendous strength," Hanzō praised.

Fire Release, Explosive Tag Technique.

Layer upon layer of Explosive Tags appeared on the ground within several meters of Tsunade's feet, rapidly spreading toward her.

Tsunade was startled. Jiraiya reached her side at that moment and shielded her.

Ninjutsu, Needle Jizo.

Fueled by Chakra, his white hair rapidly lengthened and hardened, wrapping around both their bodies without leaving the slightest gap.

Boom! Boom! Boom! The unending explosions swallowed their figures, while mist and dust obscured them from view.

Shadow Snake Hand.

Several giant pythons suddenly burst from the thick smoke and dust, binding the unprepared Hanzō.

Water Body Flicker Technique.

Hanzō's mastery of Water Style and the Body Flicker Technique was truly extraordinary. Even bound by Orochimaru's snakes, he still turned into a puddle of water and escaped.

Thanks to Orochimaru's restraint, Jiraiya retreated slightly with Tsunade after blocking the explosions. Tsunade had not suffered any major injuries; the shockwave had merely churned her blood and energy, and she quickly steadied herself. Jiraiya had been on the outside and had taken the brunt of the blast. He suffered some internal injuries, and a trace of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Fire Release Secret Technique, Flame Extinguishing Pillar.

After using Body Flicker, Hanzō and his summoned beast Ibuse appeared elsewhere. Hanzō opened his mouth and expelled an orange-yellow blaze. Its terrifying heat instantly evaporated the rain along its path, warping the air as it shot straight toward Jiraiya's chest.

Monstrous Strength, Heavenly Foot.

Tsunade shouted and stepped in front of Jiraiya. One powerful kick slammed down, shattering the ground and causing great amounts of soil and rock to rise up before them.

Earth Style, Earth Wall Formation.

A thick earthen wall surged upward. It was not very tall, but it was exceptionally solid—over three meters thick.

Boom! Flames thirty or forty meters high shot into the sky, and a small mushroom cloud rose. Mud, rocks, and rainwater sprayed everywhere as the shockwave blasted away the rain for dozens of meters around.

"Damn, that's an absurd amount of Chakra. A straight-up ninjutsu clash." Beichen Haotian spoke with some envy from a thousand meters away.

The battle continued. Both sides unleashed all kinds of Taijutsu, secret techniques, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu. Hanzō's immense strength, sharp battle instincts, and powerful summoned beast were remarkable. The three Sannin were also individually outstanding, and their lifelong coordination and precise teamwork left both Beichen Haotian and Hanzō deeply impressed.

The thunderous blasts did not stop. The four fighters' ultimate moves ravaged the surrounding ground and even reshaped the terrain, leaving countless craters behind. Beichen Haotian continually changed his observation spot.

The battle lasted until evening. After an afternoon of fierce fighting, the four people and one beast were exhausted, their stamina and Chakra severely depleted. In the later stages of the battle, Hanzō displayed astonishing Taijutsu skill and sharp Scythe Technique.

In Beichen Haotian's eyes, with the perspective of a Great Swordmaster from his previous life, Hanzō's Taijutsu had reached the pinnacle of ordinary Taijutsu, whether in power or technique. He did not fall behind even while facing the three of them at once, especially with Tsunade among them, someone who could wound with a touch and kill with a blow.

His Scythe Technique had also reached the pinnacle of technique. In terms of fundamentals, Beichen Haotian in his previous life had not been much stronger than him. Unfortunately, he had not broken through to the realm of intent. As a Great Swordmaster, Beichen Haotian naturally possessed his own sword intent—no, Blade Intent.

Beichen Haotian naturally knew how to awaken and use Blade Intent. First, one had to question one's heart, understand why one wielded a blade or sword, and comprehend one's true self. Then one had to achieve Unity of Man and Blade, unity of man and sword, and reach the pinnacle of technique. Finally, one had to make one's spiritual power resonate with one's weapon and condense a unique power. In his previous life, this power, combined with Haki, physical strength, and blade techniques, had made Beichen Haotian's blade unstoppable.

The reason Beichen Haotian had not yet awakened Blade Intent in this life was that he had not fulfilled the second condition and could not yet awaken it. However, with the foundation from his previous life, his progress was still very fast. If anyone in this world had awakened Blade Intent, Beichen Haotian believed it might only be the Konoha White Fang.

Both sides fought until they were spent, neither able to do anything to the other. In the end, Hanzo of the Salamander stopped first. His breathing was slightly uneven as he raised his chin and said, "Although I achieved a local victory in this war, I have to admit that Konoha has won. As the only people to survive under my hand so far, I, Hanzo of the Salamander, grant you the title of the Konoha Sannin."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ibuse carried Hanzō underground and disappeared. The remaining Rain Ninja also began to retreat in an orderly fashion. This battle against Amegakure was nearing its end, ending in Konoha's victory.

"Tch, from the way he acted, it was as though we were desperate for the title he gave us." Tsunade panted as she spoke loudly with disdain. However, from the obvious relaxation in her body, Hanzo of the Salamander's retreat had greatly relieved her.

"Tsunade, you really are full of energy. You can still talk that loudly," Jiraiya said with a bitter smile.

"Enough talking. Let's leave quickly. This is not a place to linger," Orochimaru's hoarse voice sounded. There was also a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, and he bore quite a few wounds.

Seeing that the battle had ended and the enemies had all withdrawn, Beichen Haotian leaped out from his hiding place and shouted, "Sister Tsunade, Lord Jiraiya, Lord Orochimaru, long time no see! The three of you were truly incredible just now."

The sudden voice instantly tensed the trio's bodies. Once they saw who it was, they immediately relaxed.

"You brat, why are you here? This is a battlefield!" Tsunade demanded loudly.

"Haha, don't be angry. I know this is a battlefield. My mission was completed, and I requested to join the war, but the higher-ups refused no matter what. I had no choice. I was so bored that I sneaked out."

"You little bastard, do you have any idea how dangerous a battlefield is?" Tsunade said furiously.

"I do."

"Then you still dared sneak out?"

"Battle makes me happy. I enjoy fighting, I enjoy the feeling of standing between life and death, and I enjoy the thrill of growing stronger. I'm not afraid of death." Beichen Haotian spoke with utmost seriousness.

The three of them were immediately speechless. There were actually people in this world who enjoyed fighting? How strange.

"There's another reason, though. I kind of missed Sister Tsunade." Beichen Haotian suddenly changed his tone and spoke with a grin.

"Oh, right. Lord Jiraiya, Lord Orochimaru, do you want to have a drink later? The war with the Rain Ninja seems to be ending, so it's fine to relax for a while. I brought Konoha's best liquor."

"You brat, we'll let this one slide. The battlefield is complicated and dangerous, so be more careful in the future. Come help support Jiraiya, and let's head back together," Tsunade said helplessly.

"Okay." Beichen Haotian ran over with a grin.

Thanks to Sheshe for the recommendation ticket. You guessed it right—it sounds the same as "loser." Nicely done, buddy!